The embodiments disclosed herein relate to systems and methods for feeding a preterm infant or neonate. More particularly, the disclosed systems and methods relate to improvements in maintaining the fat content and nutritional level of breast milk used in feeding preterm infants. Also, the disclosed systems and methods relate to delivery of all of the nutritional fluid (e.g., breast milk or formula) without delivery of air to the preterm infant/neonate.
Nutritional delivery to a preterm infant or enteral feeding is an important part of caring for the preterm infant in neonatal intensive care units. Typically, the preterm infant is fed with a feeding tube that delivers breast milk or neonatal formula directly into the stomach of the preterm infant. The feeding tube is generally introduced either through the nose (i.e., nasally) or through the mouth (i.e., orally). When breast milk is used as the nutritional fluid, it is typically obtained from the mother, or a donor, via a conventional breast pump and stored within a container. The container is then typically placed in a refrigerator or freezer for storage. Subsequently, when it is desired to feed the neonate, the breast milk is typically transferred from the container into a syringe for use in a conventional syringe pump, or alternatively, placed in a gravity feeding container and subsequently delivered to the neonate via the feeding tube. It has been reported, however, that the fat percentage of breast milk may be reduced every time it is transferred from one container to another. Further, it has been suggested that the fat content in milk may be higher in refrigerated milk than in non-refrigerated milk. In addition, it is known that bacteria may grow more rapidly in non-refrigerated milk compared to refrigerated milk. Additionally, studies have shown that preterm infants respond favorably when the nutritional liquid (e.g., breast milk or neonatal formula) is closer to standard body temperature (i.e., 98.6° F.) when digested by the preterm infant. When the nutritional liquid is provided to the preterm infant closer to standard body temperature, the preterm infant was found to digest more of the nutritional liquid. Moreover, other studies have found that the lower the body temperature of the preterm infant, the higher the likelihood of mortality of the preterm infant. As such, it is important to preserve the preterm infant's energy so that the preterm infant does not need to divert energy away from healing and growth to generate heat.
Prior art devices for feeding preterm infants have been introduced into the marketplace. However, these devices typically do not address the refrigeration and/or heating aspects desirable for the storage of breast milk and its preferred use as a nutritional fluid at body temperature. Further, other prior art devices have been introduced for warming nutritional liquid (e.g., breast milk or neonate formula) provided to pre-term infants. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 8,663,161 and U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/222,832 (the entireties of which are herein incorporated by reference) disclose devices for heating nutritional fluids for use in feeding preterm infants.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for improved methods and systems for feeding preterm infants in a manner that maximizes the fat content and nutritional aspect of breast milk, by keeping the breast milk refrigerated until administration to the infant, and by heating the breast milk to body temperature shortly before delivery to the infant.